Buckle



(No Model.)

' J. L. THOMSON.

' BUCKLE. No. 290,816. Patented Dec. 25, 1883:.

A'TT r: 5T-- I N VE N T l He fi and its attaching-plate.

PATENT JUDSOB L. THOMSON, OF SYRACUSE, NEV YORK.

BUCK-LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,816, dated December 25, 1883.

Application filed October 31, 1883.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Jonson L. THOMSON, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is designed as an improvement on the buckle or clasp for which I have obtained Letters Patent No. 268,572.

In the clasp shown and described in the said patent the hinged end of the tongue is sprung over the notched outer end of the sleeve of its attaching-plate, and said sleeve is raised above the plane of said plate, so as to protrude through the slot of the companion plate, with which the tongue interlocks. This construction andcombination of parts I find obj ectionable, on account of the projection of the hinge of the tongue above the slotted plate, rendering the buckle cumbrous and uncomely in appearance. The slots of the interlocking plate have to be excessively long, to allow the hinge and tongue to pass through them, and to also allow the tongue to spring from notchto notch on the outer end of the hinge. Consequently the slotted interlocking plate has to be of greater width than is desired for the appearance of the buckle, and also for the convenience of the wearer; and, in fact, I find that said construction cannot be carried, out on a scale small enough to produce a buckle adapted for fine shoes, and for other objects for which my present improved buckle is designed.

The annexed drawings fully illustrate my improved buckle.

Figure 1 is a plan view, showing the members of the buckle in their interlocked position. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of the tongue Fig. 4 is a plan view of the latter with the tongue turned up to illustrate its action in carrying it toward and from its interlocked position; and Fig. 5 is a plan view, showing the tongue distended from I its attaching-plate and in position for being entered in the slot of the companion plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

A represents a metal plate adapted to be at- (No model.)

tached to one of the quarters of a shoe, and provided with one or more transverse slots, a, by which it interlocks with the tongue T, which is connected with a plate, B, and is adapted to be secured to the other quarter or flap of the shoe. The plate Bis formed with two eyes, 6 e, which are in the plane of the plate, and have each on their inner end two notches, n a, diametrically opposite each other.

T is the tongue, consisting of a spring-metal plate, which is bifurcated to form two laterally-expansive arms terminating with sleeves s s, which are sprung between the eyes 6 e, and are provided on the end adjacent to the said eyes with cams c 0, adapted to enter the notches a a. A pintle, b, passing through the eyes a and sleeves s, unites the tongue T to its attaching-plate B. The notches a and cams c are arranged in such relative position as to allow the hinged end of the tongue T to spread when the tongue lies parallel with its attaching-plate, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, and to laterally compress the tongue as it is swung out of the aforesaid position, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Inasmuch as the tongue must be swung as last mentioned in order to connect it with the slotted plate A, it will be observed that the simultaneous compression of the tongue admits of the use of a comparatively narrow slot in the plate A, and consequently of a corresponding diminution of the width of said plate. The plate A, when drawn over the plate B, lies on top of the eyes (2 e, the superincumbent portion of the tongue T rising sufficiently to accommodate the interlocked portion of the plate A. This raised portion of the tongue Tis made with a lateral flare, f, forming on opposite edges of said tongue, and directly over the hinge thereof, two shoulders, which bear on top of the plate A, at the ends of the slot thereof. This engagement of the tongue T with the slotted plateA directly over the hinge of the tongue effectually prevents the latter from being raised by any ordinary lateral or twisting strain of the slotted plate.

The lateral compression of the tongue T, incident to the travel of its cams c c from notch to notch a in the eyes 6 6 allows the flare f to pass through the slot of the plate A.

Having described my invention ,what I claim 2 waste as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination of the plate B, formed with eyes '0 e in the plane of the plate, and having notches n on their inner end, the bifurcated tongue T, having laterally-expansive arms formed with sleeves s s, sprung between the eyes 0 e, and provided with cams c c 011 the end adjacent to said eyes, and the pintle b, uniting said parts, substantially as described and shown.

2. In combination with the slotted plate A, the plate B, formed with eyes 0 0', having notches an on their inner end, the bifurcated tongue '1, having laterallyexpansive arms formed with sleeves s s, sprung between the eyes 6 e, and provided with cams c c on the end adjacent to the said eyes, and formed above the sleeves with the flare f, and the pintle b, uniting said tongue and plate B, sub stantially as specified and shown.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name and afiixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 16th day of October, 1883.

JUDSON L. THOMSON. [L. s]

W'itnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBs, WVM." CHANDLER RAYMOND. 

